kiedoy

I was wondering is the RX 350 worth the extra money for the navigation and is easy to use or is it a wast of money.
And how are the xenons lights are they worth the extra $$
Trying to decide on the premium package2 or the Touring package.

MX5NES350

Hi and welcome. You'll find varying answers on these questions since it is subjective in nature. So here is my $0.02.

Navigation package - Not as intuitive as my Garmin nor as high tech/feature laden. But it is nice not to have to carry around a Garmin with me. Is it easy to use (the mouse thing). To me, working on a PC everyday it was easy to pick up. 2012's will come wth version 11.1 which is the latest and greatest. Maps are recommended to be updated every 2-3 years and that's $169 plus installation so figure in the high $200 range when lifetime maps from Garmin are less than $100. So it's a matter of choice. Heck, with my i-Phone even my Garmin is becoming obsolete.

Headlights - IMO, yes. Some folks here have done HID conversion kits and are quite happy with their results. I find the adaptive system to be a nice feature. Around where I live you round a corner and there can be some form of mother nature staring back at you. That little bend of the headlamp saved me a headache on a couple occassions. Plus a lot of folks look for this feature at resale time. It's something Lexus was a pioneer in perfecting and is an industry benchmark.

The G Man

If you use the Navi a lot, then definitely get the option, its a nice feeling knowing you can never get lost. We have a Garmin as well, but taking it on and off everytime we use it is a pain. The mouse controller is a very nice option to have, it give you access to more customized options than the non-mouse version. The Navi is a very easy system to use, the only draw back is that it locks you out if your vehicle is in motion.
Xenon lights are a nice safety feature, it lights up the road a lot better than halogen, three times as powerful in terms of lumens. The adaptive lighting is very useful on the RX, you can actually see the beam move when taking a corner.

xfirechief

Also my 2 cents worth, I liked both options & would get them again.

Another thing, our new Audi's NAV is nowhere as nice as Lexus. The Audi is not friendly at all & many things are missing making it hard to understand, or is it just me?

Anyways, the Blu-tooth is hard to use too on the Audi, could not figure out how to answer the phone call yesterday. No button to push like on the Lexus.

The G Man

Just hit the big MMI turn **** to answer the phone.

xfirechief

Thanks, I will try that. Never thought that would be where to press?

When my wife read the book after the call she said something about pressing the turn wheel on the left side of he steering wheel. Can there be 2 ways?

The G Man

Yes , pressing the turn **** on the left side of the steering wheel is the enter function, and the turn **** on the right side adjust the volume of the phone call while you are on the phone.

tapau

Not that I want to start a whole discussion on the NAV black out ......... just pointing out that the NAV input/search functions are only available when the car is stopped (unless you get the override). So think about how you'll be using the NAV and decide.

InRBigness

I believe you can use voice commands to program and search the nav while moving. When I was test driving an RX I was able to use it while in motion although it was a bit clunky. I thought the car looked very spartan without it. In the end when you go to sell it at a later date, people are going to be looking for that as it is already becoming standard on most cars.

wyau01

Voice commands works fine if you have the windows close, and nobody else is talking in the car.

The G Man

I agree, entering destination using voice command in the RX is hit or miss.

Cruiter

I use the voice command often and once I got used to it there was no problems. But like anything new, you have to learn how it was designed to be used. I can input a destination while moving using voice command without much of an issue.

And I drive a nice Lexus so I use the climate system and keep my windows closed most of the time. Keeps the dust off the dash too when the windows are closed .

BatmobileX

I was on the fence about Navigation and ended up not getting it because I could get a good deal on one without it. That said, sometimes I wonder if I should have gotten it, but I have since become very pleased with my Motion X GPS system on my iPhone. The center console slot seems to be perfectly designed to fit the iPhone and the one year subscription with Voice assist cost only $9.99. I am AMAZED at how accurate it is.

JellyBean

Are the nav system and HID headlamps worth the extra money? Absolutely not. As the others have said, Garmin is much better at navigating, and the stock halogen headlamps do a decent job of lighting the road ahead. We got both, however, because we wanted to treat ourselves and enjoy the car. Life is too short to be working so hard, increasing your net worth, and then having Wall Street ruin it all. Do yourself a favor and get both. Good luck!

JB

mtlrx350

I love Motion-X, both on the iPad and the iPhone. The fact that the subscription can be shared is great as well.